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I had very little appreciation for the simple stir-fry growing up; I always longed for those Western foods (macaroni and cheese, spaghetti) that felt so very novel and different from my parents’ homecooked meals. But as an adult, I see now how one-dimensional those other foods are (keeping in mind I only knew them in boxed and jarred forms at the time) and how layered in flavor and diverse in starring ingredients even the quickest of stir-fries can always be. I now know how handy it is being able to quickly bring together some veggie scraps and some sort of rice-flour-based carb, and with the power of my Asian pantry of seasoning sauces and the magic of the maillard reaction, everything gets transformed into a quick and tasty lunch.

My spouse is quite enthusiastic about Korean rice cakes, or tteok, so I am always tossing them into a meal when I see the opportunity. They are quite fun to chew, like a more firm version of mochi or rice noodle roll. They come in various shapes and sizes and can usually be found at any Asian supermarket. I believe they are most commonly known for swimming in a sweet-spicy bright red tteokbokki sauce but they also work really well as part of a stir-fry, as you’ll see here.

For this recipe, bulgogi beef slices, marinated in Bibigo Original Korean BBQ Sauce, serve as the protein for the dish, hence the name, Bulgogi Tteokbokki!

Ingredients

1/2 lb sirloin steak, sliced thinly against the grain
4 tbsp Bibigo Original Korean BBQ Sauce
1 lb Korean rice cakes, or tteok
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 carrot, sliced
1/4 onion, sliced
2–3 oz beech mushrooms, ends trimmed
1/2 green bell pepper, sliced
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
Cooking oil

Note: Vegetable types and quantities are just a suggestion. Use whatever suits you!

Procedure

Combine the steak and marinade in a bowl and place in the refrigerator.  Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

If rice cakes are frozen, soak in cold water for 10 minutes to thaw. (I always keep some on hand in my freezer!) Skip this step if rice cakes are fresh.

Bring a pot of water to a boil and add rice cakes. Boil, stirring occasionally until rice cakes begin to float to the surface of the water, about 2–3 minutes. Cook for an additional minute after they float, then drain. (Note: Different brands of rice cakes tend to have slightly different textures. Be sure to try one and make sure the texture is to your liking before draining.) Combine rice cakes with soy sauce and sesame oil and set aside.

Heat a large skillet or wok. Drain most of the excess marinade from beef. Add enough cooking oil to coat the bottom of the pan, then add beef. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, then add carrot, onion, and bell pepper in that order, giving a quick stir in between each. Stir-fry for 2 minutes, then add mushrooms and rice cakes. Stir fry for an additional 4 minutes, or until parts of the rice cakes are lightly browned and everything is cooked through.

Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with scallions and sesame seeds.

Thank you so much to Bibigo USA for sponsoring this recipe! For more recipe ideas and to learn more about their products, visit their website!